Body bolt absorber assembly

ABSTRACT

The body bolt absorber assembly includes a lower body absorber made from rubber or a similar material with an undersized aperture, formed either during manufacture or by subsequent piercing, to slideably engage and capture a bolt. The lower body absorber further includes interior cylindrical walls with an inwardly extending lip thereby forming a chamber to engage and capture a washer. The washer includes an aperture through which the shaft of the bolt passes. The engagement and capture of the bolt and the washer provides for a one-piece modular assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention pertains to a modular body bolt absorberassembly, for assembling an isolator to the frame of an automotivevehicle.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] In the prior art, it is known to use assemblies including a boltto assemble a shock absorber to the frame of an automotive vehicle.

[0005] An example of such a prior art assembly is shown in FIG. 1.

[0006] Prior art assembly 100 includes bolt 102 with head 104 and shaft106. Shaft 106, which includes threaded portion 107, extends throughaperture 110 of washer 108. Shaft 106 further passes through aperture116 of metallic base 114 of lower body absorber 112. Lower body absorber112 further includes rubber bumper portion 118 which is rotationallysymmetric with a hollow interior 120 and a forward tip 122 in the shapeof a truncated cone.

[0007] Rubber bumper portion 118 is typically secured to metallic base114 by the use of adhesive.

[0008] In the assembled position, head 104 of bolt 102 urges washer 108against metallic base 114. Shaft 106 of bolt 102 typically furtherpasses through an aperture in the automotive frame (not shown) andthreaded portion 107 of shaft 106 of bolt 102 engages a threadedaperture in the absorber (not shown) or a nut in the body of thevehicle. In this assembled position, rubber bumper portion 118 engagesan end of the absorber (not shown). This configuration assembles theabsorber to the automotive frame while providing cushioning between theframe and the body of the vehicle.

[0009] While this prior art absorber assembly has been satisfactory inmany respects, improvement is desired in some aspects. In particular,the assembly includes three components which increases assembly time andsecondary processing thereby decreasing cost effectiveness. Moreover,this can lead to inconsistencies in the attachment of successiveassemblies.

[0010] Similarly, improvements are sought with respect to modularity ofdesign, ease of design changes and serviceability.

[0011] Additionally, chemical or adhesive bonding is required in themanufacture of the lower body absorber in this prior art design.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] It is therefore an object of the present invention toprovide abody bolt absorber assembly which can be provided as a single modularunit.

[0013] It is therefore a further object of the present invention toprovide a body bolt absorber assembly which decreases assembly time andsecondary processing.

[0014] It is theref ore a still further object of the present inventionto provide a body bolt absorber assembly with increased costeffectiveness.

[0015] It is therefore a still further object of the present inventionto provide a body bolt absorber assembly with a modular design whichallows for ease of design changes and serviceability.

[0016] It is therefore a final object of the present invention toprovide a body bolt absorber assembly which eliminates or reduces theuse of chemical or adhesive bonding.

[0017] These and other objects are attained by providing a body boltabsorber with a lower body absorber made from rubber which is arrangedand constructed to capture a bolt and a washer thereby forming a modularone-piece assembly. More particularly, the central aperture of the lowerbody absorber is undersized with respect to the diameter of the shaft ofthe bolt. The elasticity of the rubber allows the bolt to pass throughthis aperture but be slideably captured therewithin. Alternatively, thebolt may be pushed so as to pierce the wall to form such an aperturewherein the walls of the resulting aperture allow the bolt to passthrough but be slideably captured therewithin. Similarly, the lower bodyabsorber may include a circumferential lip to capture the washer throughwhich the shaft of the bolt passes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0018] Further objects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following description and claims, and from theaccompanying drawings, wherein:

[0019]FIG. 1 is an exploded plan view, partl y in phantom, of a bodybolt absorber assembly of the prior art.

[0020]FIG. 2 is an exploded plan view, partly in phantom, of the bodybolt absorber assembly of the present invention.

[0021]FIG. 3 is a plan view of the assembled position of the body boltabsorber assembly of the present invention.

[0022]FIG. 4 is a front plan view of the lower body absorber of the bodybolt absorber assembly of the present invention.

[0023]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view along plane 5-5 of FIG. 4, of thelower body absorber of the body bolt absorber assembly of the presentinvention.

[0024]FIG. 6 is a detailed view of cross-sectional area 6 of FIG. 5, ofthe lower body absorber of the body bolt absorber assembly of thepresent invention.

[0025]FIG. 7 is a detailed view of cross-sectional area 7 of FIG. 5, ofthe lower body absorber of the body bolt absorber assembly of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0026] Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate likeelements throughout the several views, one sees that FIG. 2 is anexploded plan view of the body bolt absorber assembly 10 of the presentinvention. Body bolt absorber assembly 10 includes bolt 12, washer 14and lower body absorber 16.

[0027] Bolt 12, as known in the prior art, includes head 18 and shaft20. Shaft 20 includes threaded portion 22. Washer 14 is made from metaland, as known in the prior art, includes central aperture 24 throughwhich shaft 20 of bolt 12 passes.

[0028] Lower body absorber 16 is shown in more detail in FIG. 47 and istypically made from butyl rubber, although those skilled in the art willrecognize that a range of equivalents is available. Lower body absorber16 is preferably rotationally symmetric about axis 200.

[0029] Wall 30 is formed transversely to axis 200 includes centralaperture 32 which is undersized with respect to the diameter of shaft 20of bolt 12. However, the elasticity of the butyl rubber or equivalentmaterial allows central aperture 32 to stretch whereby shaft 20 can passthrough central aperture 32 and be slideably captured therewithin.Alternately, wall 30 may be formed with aperture 32 not initiallypresent, and wherein the user pushes bolt 12 so as to pierce wall 30thereby forming undersized aperture 32 with the same function describedabove. Preferably, rearward interior cylindrical wall 34 is formedinwardly adjacent from a periphery of wall 30 with inwardly extendingcircumferential lip 36 formed at the end 38 thereof. As shown in moredetail in FIG. 7, inwardly extending circumferential lip 36 includesrearward chamfer 40. The structure of rearward interior cylindrical wall34 and inwardly extending circumferential lip 36 forms disk-shapedcavity 42 rearwardly adjacent from wall 30 to capture washer 14 in theassembled position. Aperture 16 of washer 14 is aligned with aperture 32of wall 30 along axis 200. First exterior circular chamfer 44, with atriangular cross section, is formed on a radial exterior of cylindricalwall 34.

[0030] Thickened reinforcing section 50 is formed frontwardly from wall30 and about approximately the outward half of the radius of wall 30.Forward interior cylindrical wall 52 rises from thickened reinforcingsection 50 and meets forward exterior oblique wall 54 to form circularapex 56. Second exterior circular chamfer 58 is formed at a rearward endof exterior oblique wall 54. Exterior cylindrical wall 60 separatesfirst and second exterior circular chamfers 44, 58.

[0031] To use body bolt absorber assembly 10, the installer typicallyreceives assembly in the pre-assembled configuration shown in FIG. 3.Shaft 20 of bolt 12 is passed through an aperture in the automotiveframe so that threaded portion 22 will be received within a threadedaperture of the shock absorber and an end of the shock absorber (notshown) or nut in the body of the vehicle is engaged by lower bodyabsorber 16.

[0032] Thus the several aforementioned objects and advantages are mosteffectively attained. Although a single preferred embodiment of theinvention has been disclosed and described in detail herein, it shouldbe understood that this invention is in no sense limited thereby and itsscope is to be determined by that of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A body absorber including: exterior surfacesformed about an axis; ad a transverse wall formed between said exteriorsurfaces and transverse to said axis, said transverse wall being capableof forming an aperture with a diameter smaller than that of a shaft of abolt, wherein elasticity of said wall allows said aperture to stretch toslideably capture the shaft of the bolt.
 2. The body absorber of claim 1further including a disk shaped cavity constructed and arranged tocapture a washer, wherein the shaft of the bolt passes through anaperture of the washer.
 3. The body absorber of claim 2 wherein saidaperture is formed during manufacture of said body absorber.
 4. The bodyabsorber of claim 2 wherein said aperture is formed subsequent tomanufacture by piercing said transverse wall.
 5. The body absorber ofclaim 3 or claim 4 wherein said disk shaped cavity is formed adjacent tosaid transverse wall.
 6. The body absorber of claim 5 wherein saidtransverse wall forms a surface bounding said disk shaped cavity.
 7. Thebody absorber of claim 6 further including a first interior cylindricalwall extending from a first side of said transverse wall furtherbounding said disk shaped cavity.
 8. The body absorber of claim 7wherein an inwardly extending lip is formed at an end of said firstinterior cylindrical wall thereby further bounding said disk shapedcavity.
 9. The body absorber of claim 8 further including a thickenedsection formed on a second side of said transverse wall, throughout anouter portion of a radius of said transverse wall.
 10. The body absorberof Clai m 9 further including a second interior cylindrical wallextending from said thickened section.
 11. The body absorber of claim 10wherein said exterior surfaces include an oblique exterior surfacejoining said second interior cylindrical wall thereby forming a circularapex.
 12. The body absorber of claim 11 wherein said exterior surfacesinclude a first exterior circular chamfer and a second exterior circularchamfer separated by an exterior cylindrical wall.
 13. The body absorberof claim 12 wherein said exterior surfaces are rotationally symmetricabout said axis.
 14. A body absorber assembly including: a bolt with ahead and a shaft; a washer with a central aperture therethrough; a bodyabsorber including: exterior surfaces formed about an axis and atransverse wall formed between said exterior surfaces and transverse tosaid axis, said transverse wall including an aperture with a diametersmaller than that of said shaft of said bolt, wherein elasticity of saidwall allows said aperture to stretch to slideably capture said shaft ofsaid bolt.
 15. The body absorber assembly of claim 14 further includinga disk shaped cavity constructed and arranged to capture said washer,wherein said shaft of said bolt passes through said central aperture ofsaid washer.
 16. The body absorber assembly of claim 15 wherein saidaperture is formed during manufacture.
 17. The body absorber assembly ofclaim 15 wherein said aperture is formed subsequent to manufacture bypiercing said wall.
 18. The body absorber assembly of claim 16 or claim17 wherein said disk shaped cavity is formed adjacent to said transversewall.
 19. The body absorber assembly of claim 18 wherein said transversewall forms a surface bounding said disk shaped cavity.
 20. The bodyabsorber assembly of claim 19 further including a first interiorcylindrical wall extending from a first side of said transverse wallfurther bounding said disk shaped cavity.
 21. The body absorber assemblyof claim 20 wherein an inwardly extending lip is formed at an end ofsaid first interior cylindrical wall thereby further bounding said diskshaped cavity.
 22. The body absorber assembly of claim 21 furtherincluding a thickened section formed on a second side of said transversewall, throughout an outer portion of a radius of said transverse wall.23. The body absorber assembly of claim 22 further including a secondinterior cylindrical wall extending from said thickened section.
 24. Thebody absorber assembly of claim 23 wherein said exterior surfacesinclude an oblique exterior surface joining said second interiorcylindrical wall thereby forming a circular apex.
 25. The body absorberassembly of claim 24 wherein said exterior surfaces include a firstexterior circular chamfer and a second exterior circular chamferseparated by an exterior cylindrical wall.
 26. The body absorberassembly of claim 25 wherein said exterior surfaces are rotationallysymmetric about said axis.